Sun Bowl football: UCLA O-line keeps scheme simple to combat youth

In this file photo, UCLA's Caleb Benenoch, 74, and Torian White work on their offense during team practice at Cal State San Bernardino on Wednesday August 14, 2013. (LaFonzo Carter/ Staff Photographer)

Forced to start three true freshmen after losing two starting tackles to injury, UCLA has spent nearly half the season with its youngest offensive line in school history.

How have they fared?

“I’d give them like a B-, maybe,” offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said. “Maybe a C+. I think I’ve got them now where, 50 percent of the time, they actually go the right way. So that’s an improvement.”

Jokes aside, he maintained that first-year right guard Alex Redmond – a Freshman All-American – right tackle Caleb Benenoch and left guard Scott Quessenberry all have promising futures after what has been a turbulent season.

For example: In a 38-33 loss to Arizona State on Nov. 23, the Bruins surrendered a season-high nine sacks. A week later, they held a USC defensive front for just two in a 35-14 victory.

The main difference, according to head coach Jim Mora, was the 22-point hole UCLA took into halftime against the Sun Devils. At the Coliseum, the Bruins (9-3) led by seven after two quarters and by 14 after three.

“When you get a team in a position when you can run it or throw it, and they can’t just pin their ears back and rush the passer, it makes it a lot easier on the offensive line,” he said.

The team has also simplified its blocking scheme to make the playbook easier to digest for its trio of teenagers, something redshirt sophomore center Jake Brendel pointed out. Heading into Tuesday’s Sun Bowl against Virginia Tech (8-4), the unit will have had two weeks of game prep to further absorb those details.

“I think the best thing to do with young guys is make sure they understand exactly what they do so they can do it with confidence and do it with speed and be decisive,” Mora said. “Maybe we sacrifice a little bit of complexity ... but that’s OK right now.”

SAY GOODBYE

Mora’s firey personality has fit seamlessly into the college ranks, but the second-year coach hasn’t fully adjusted from a pro career that spanned over two decades. After wrapping up the Bruins’ last true practice of the season on Sunday, the 52-year-old waxed a bit about sending seniors off.

“I think that’s something I’m still adjusting to with college football,” he said. “You go into this last game and you know there’s a group of players, that this is the last time you’re going to get to coach them, get to watch them run around the field in a UCLA uniform. That’s not something I’m used to.

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“There was always a lot of uncertainty at the next level, but you never knew for sure. Here, it’s final. It’s certain.”

Run, run, run

Defensive coordinator Bud Foster has worked as a Virginia Tech assistant coach since 1987. Even considering his lengthy tenure, the 54-year-old thinks UCLA’s Brett Hundley measures up against most of the other quarterbacks he’s seen.

“He does a great job of creating when things aren’t there,” Foster said of the redshirt sophomore, who leads the Bruins with 587 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. “When you have that element with a dual-threat guy, there’s always concern. ... We’ve played some really good ones from Donovan McNabb to different people like that. He’s in that mode, but he’s bigger.

“The one thing I’ve been really impressed with is his toughness when he runs. He breaks a lot of tackles.”

Coincidentally, McNabb has long been one of Hundley’s athletic idols. The former Syracuse star had one of his most memorable collegiate performances against Virginia Tech, leading the Orange to a 28-26 win over the Hokies in 1998. His 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Steve Brominski with no time left capped a 14-play, 83-yard drive -- one that also included his 41-yard run.

Side note: No. 1 Florida State was not on the Hokies’ schedule this year, relieving Foster from having to coach against Heisman winner Jameis Winston.